Today’s scripture: Psalm 78:56-72 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (David Zier):
There are times in life when circumstances are just not good. We lose a job. We lose a loved one. We have a lot going on, and we can get stressed out. Sure, there are things we can do in each situation, but sometimes life happens and we are stretched to grow in various ways.
But there are those other times when circumstances happen because of what we have done. My emotions got the best of me, and I snapped at my boss, and I said things I shouldn’t have, and it got me fired. I did not follow through with my responsibilities on a task and things are not working out too well. The list goes on. Think about your own current situations.
There is the notion of sowing and reaping in this psalm: testing God, rebelling against God, and experiencing God’s wrath. This was how our spiritual ancestors, and particularly the writer of this psalm, experienced God. David, King David, was the one chosen to lead, and he led with an upright heart (verses 70-72). Because we have the stories in the Bible, we know that David did not always make the best decisions. He had his own issues of betrayal (Bathsheba and Joab) and had his own growing edges in his life. What happened to that upright heart? God saw his heart. God sees our hearts.
During those times when we are wreaking havoc in our own lives, doing things that are creating the negative circumstances of life, we may feel like God’s wrath is upon us. We may not be doing the things we should, the things God created us to do, or the things Jesus taught us. Many of us don’t like to hear things about God’s wrath, or that God could ever be angry. Perhaps God is trying to get our attention, to wake us up, and to prompt us to make some changes. And how do we react? Do we keep the status quo and dig in our heels? How’s that working for us? Or do we seek God’s guidance and wisdom to grow?
Thought for the day: God, help me to recognize where I go astray and wreak havoc in my own life. Help me to seek your guidance and wisdom to grow.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.